Names and faces

LITTLE ROCK — Aretha Franklin’s son was severely beaten at a gas station in Detroit, the singing legend’s spokesman said Tuesday. Eddie Franklin, who is in his 50s, was attacked Monday night, Gwendolyn Quinn said in a statement. A witness said two men and a woman may have been involved in the attack, according to the statement, which did not identify the witness or address a possible motive. Quinn told The Associated Press early Tuesday morning she didn’t have any information beyond the written statement. A woman who was with Franklin told police she went into the gas station and when she returned, he had been attacked, police spokesman Eren Stephens said. The woman then drove Franklin to a hospital, dropped him off and headed to a police station to file a report, police said. Quinn’s statement said Franklin was undergoing surgery early Tuesday, but Detroit police said he wasn’t at the hospital when investigators stopped by. They were told Franklin “walked out on his own,” Stephens said. The AP left multiple messages for Quinn on Tuesday, seeking updated information. A hospital spokesman confirmed someone named Eddie Franklin was treated there but wasn’t able to offer details.

Wyclef Jean is leaving Haitian politics to promote a new album, according to a statement sent Tuesday by hispublicist. Jean’s presidential candidacy ended last month when the Caribbean country’s eight-member provisional electoral council left him and more than a dozen other hopefuls off the ballot. Nineteen candidates were approved. No official reasons were given for the exclusions. Jean is presumed not to have met constitutional requirements including living in Haiti. He lives in New Jersey. The announcement ends speculation the singer would contest the disqualification, though the council does not allow appeals. The election is set for Nov. 28.